Stop Button
by dvshipper
Summary: An alumni dinner has Daniel feeling glum, but Vala's there to help him out. Daniel/Vala. Please rate and review!


Title: Stop Button

Author: dvshipper

Rating: PG

Spoilers/Warnings: Bounty, vague reference to Prometheus Unbound

Summary: An alumni dinner has Daniel feeling glum, but Vala's there to help him out.

A/N: Inspired by a couple comments between myself and whisper99 (on lj) in which we thought 'what would happen if Daniel took Vala to a reunion or such, similar to the episode Bounty?' Thanks to Erin for being an awesome beta!

"You are not wearing that!" Daniel exclaimed when Vala stepped out of the bathroom of their hotel room. The black dress was cut well above the knee, fit her like a glove and had a deep v-neck that left nothing to the imagination. He saw her face scrunch into a pout that had become familiar over the past couple years.

"What's wrong with it?" Vala whined, putting her hands on her hips. She had taken a considerable amount of time picking the dress out, dismissing several other options. She thought he would like it and the dark cocktail dress made her feel sexy which was very important in all matters of clothing.

"You look like you're going to a nightclub. Vala, we're going to a dinner where there'll be historians and linguists and anthropologists---people like me," Daniel told her, trying to think of a way to get through to her. "You watched Pretty Woman with Sam, right?"

"Yeah…..are you saying I look like a trashy prostitute, Daniel?" Vala raised her voice as she stormed back into the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind her.

The archaeologist sighed, knowing that comment was a mistake the moment the words left his mouth. Vala might be from a different planet, but she was just like any other woman. He stood up from where he was sitting on the bed. When the letter had come to him a couple months ago inviting him to the alumni dinner they were attending tonight, Vala had begged to go with him, and he just hoped he hadn't made a mistake in agreeing.

Vala couldn't believe he would say something like that. She had wished the dress would get Daniel's attention and apparently it had, just not in the way she had expected. Angry, Vala slipped the garment off standing in front of the mirror in her newly bought black bra and matching panties. Daniel's footsteps reached the door, and she knew he was unsuccessfully trying to think of something apologetic to say. The alien raised her eyebrow in a way that would have made Teal'c proud and threw open the door.

Daniel was just about to knock and was surprised when Vala opened the door wearing nothing but her underwear. His face was expressionless as she pushed past him, making her way for the suitcase on the other side of the room. She grabbed a couple pieces of clothing, his eyes glued to her perfectly pale form the whole time.

Vala stepped and shimmied into the pants and sweater she'd retrieved. She could feel Daniel's gaze on her as she stepped into the high-heeled shoes that were sitting next to the bed. She turned to face him with an attitude-laden posture. "There, that better?"

"Yes, you look beautiful," Daniel replied as he moved toward her. "You are always beautiful."

"And don't you forget it," Vala told him, trying to hide her smile. He could make her furious at times but looking at those blue eyes and that charming grin she couldn't ever stay mad at him for long. His hand came up to cup her chin, pulling her face toward his. Vala stepped forward, pressing her body to fit his. Warm lips caught hers, tasting of coffee and mint toothpaste. The kiss ended in a few chaste pecks leaving both with grins, as if to say all was forgiven. Daniel looked at the red digital numbers on clock on the nightstand. "We better get going. You ready?"

"Just one more thing." Vala reached over to the dresser and snatched a small silver comb that was decorated with rhinestone flowers. She placed it in her hair and turned back to Daniel. "Now I'm ready."

When the two arrived at the event, Vala saw that the ballroom was full of men and women who looked like historians and linguists. It was a sea of ill-fitting polyester suits and bland-colored dresses, with only a few exceptions. She was glad she had changed into the much simpler wide-leg trousers and scoop neck sweater with silver embroidery. Daniel could be right sometimes, though she'd never tell him that.

As they found their table and sat down, familiar faces caught Daniel's eye. Though he had known them back in college, that didn't mean they were necessarily friends. Most of them had ridiculed his 'crazy' theories and teased him about his age. Having started college at sixteen, he was considerably younger than his classmates. With any luck, they wouldn't treat him the same as they did over twenty years ago. Having a gorgeous woman as your date of course couldn't hurt.

"Daniel, who's that over there?" Vala whispered, looking toward a well dressed man with a young blonde at his side.

"Ah, that's Michael Sanders. He's made a fortune writing books about ancient cultures that were supposedly forgotten. Complete crap, but people will believe anything if it's published," Daniel informed Vala, leaning close to her ear. Then an older woman with graying hair who stepped up to the podium at the front caught Daniel's attention.

"I would like to welcome you all to this dinner honoring the wonderful Professor Ian Bannister, who is no longer with us anymore. He would have been extremely proud to see all of you become such brilliant professionals. Though sometimes he could be rather blunt, he gave us all something that we'll cherish: an education in the behavior of the ant colony." This received a round of laughter from the room and the lady smiled. Daniel remembered how Professor Bannister taught that human behavior and culture dynamics were the same as a colony of ants. The highlight of that class was when a student snuck in and took off the lid to the enclosure the professor kept his ants in on his desk. His face got so red Daniel thought he would burst. "I would like to thank the planning committee for making this all possible. You did a great job. With that out of the way, I'll say one last thing. I'm hungry, let's eat."

A dinner of chicken, mashed potatoes, and various steamed vegetables was served and the large room filled with the murmur of conversation. Chat ensued at their table but it wasn't of much interest to Vala. Nor was the bland chicken that was worse than commissary food. What did pique Vala's curiosity was Daniel. For some reason, he seemed frustrated and she didn't know why.

"So, how did you two meet?" the woman sitting across from Vala asked.

"That's a funny story really," Vala started but she soon heard Daniel cut in.

"We met at work. You could say fate threw us together," Daniel said grinning. He was sure Vala wouldn't let anything classified slip, but he'd heard stories from when she went to Cam's high school reunion. You could never be too careful when it came to conversation that included civilians and Vala.

"Yes, he just couldn't get rid of me," Vala said with a smug grin. The lady at the table just smiled as if to say 'oh, that's nice.'

As the evening carried on, anecdotes were exchanged and pictures of children were brought out of wallets. Laughter could be heard often, most likely at some witty joke. Though Vala was enjoying the meaningless chitchat with the two other women at the table, she couldn't help but notice Daniel's expression. Emotion was mapped across his face, but it was a look Vala could not decipher. His eyebrows were scrunched together as if he was confused and his lips were pressed tight together as if he was angry.

With dessert finished they said their goodbyes, Daniel seemingly in a hurry to leave. As they stepped into the elevator to go back to their room which was conveniently located in the same hotel as the ballroom, Vala tried to figure out what was still bothering him. "Daniel, what's wrong? You seemed annoyed, and for once I'm pretty sure it's not my fault."

"You're right, it's not you," Daniel replied dryly. He felt the headache that had developed during dessert get worse. A warm fluffy bed was calling his name, begging to relieve the tension in his neck. That comfort was only a few seconds away.

"Well," Vala pushed the button labeled STOP on the shiny metal panel on the wall. "Now you have to talk. We are not leaving until you tell me what's bothering you because it may be something I can help you with."

Daniel sighed. He knew he could easily reach around Vala's thin waist and press the button that would deliver him to an easy sleep. However, that would just earn him two cold shoulders from her, which was less than desirable. He leaned against the wall of the car and slid down letting his butt hit the carpeted floor. Vala sat down next to him and pressed herself into his side. "What's wrong?" Vala asked in the voice that was uniquely hers, sounding like cold lemonade on a hot day.

"I just hate going to these types of things because I can't tell people anything I've done in the past decade and a half. To them I'm just that crazy guy with the ridiculous theories about aliens and ancient Egypt. They have no idea what SG-1 has done for them. Hell, I couldn't even tell them who you are or how we met!" Daniel let out in one big breath.

"That's what's been bothering you all evening? The fact that you can't tell them anything about your life?" Vala asked, on the verge of amusement. Daniel nodded his head. "Darling, none of those people matter. The only thing that matters is that I know you're a hero, one with many wonderful talents," Vala said with a wink, trying to lighten his dour expression. She reached across his face and combed through his hair with her fingers. "You will always be my knight in shining armor."

Daniel turned to face her, a grin on his face. It may have been a cliché, but it was one he couldn't argue with. He leaned forward and kissed her. It was passionate and deep, both opening for each other to explore the uncharted territories of their mouths. Vala moved closer to him, her hand still placed firmly in his hair. He ran his hand along the smooth cashmere that covered her waist, pulling her towards him.

Vala twisted so that she sat on his lap, not breaking their kiss, which was getting rougher and more desperate. 'I really should have worn a skirt,' Vala thought as her hands started to unbutton Daniel's dress shirt. She could feel his arm wrapped tightly around her waist, one of his hands roaming underneath her sweater. His lips left hers and started to trail wet kisses down her jaw onto her neck. Vala shivered when he lingered on the sweet spot just below her left ear. Suddenly, she felt a jolt, but it wasn't Daniel. The elevator had started to move. Apparently Daniel hadn't noticed or didn't care because he kept attacking her with dutiful lips.

"Daniel, I think we should stop," Vala whispered as his lips grazed her shoulder. His chuckle vibrated her skin in a way that made her squirm.

"Never heard that from you before. Why?" Daniel asked just as the elevator doors slid open with a 'ding.' He heard someone clear their throat and he paused, standing up quickly bringing Vala up with him. The man standing just outside the lift had gray hair and wore thick, horn-rimmed glasses. Grinning, the gentleman just stood there with his hands placed firmly in his pockets.

"Doctor Jackson," the old man said in acknowledgment and greeting.

"Professor Taylor," Daniel nodded as he guided Vala out of the elevator, his shirt still open and his hair all mussed up. Vala's clothes were disheveled as well, leaving no doubt in anyone's mind what they had just been doing, or rather getting ready to do.

As the couple walked down the cream-colored hall toward their room Vala giggled. "That man used to be your professor?"

"Ah, yeah. Oh, look here's our room," Daniel replied eager to change the subject. It was bad enough to get caught making out in the library all those years ago by the old man, but then to get caught by the same professor again. The guy must think Daniel never did anything else. Lately however, that was probably true.

"Are you in a better mood now?" Vala asked with a devilish grin as they walked into the dark space behind the numbered door.

"Yes, much better and my headache is gone. I guess now I can get a good night's sleep," Daniel replied, knowing just how to toy with Vala. He gave a fake yawn and climbed onto the king size bed, curling on his side, closing his eyes, and pretending to fall asleep.

"Oh no you don't," Vala purred as she jumped on top of the bed next to Daniel, turning him flat on his back. He was smiling of course, trying to keep from laughing.

Vala smiled back as she leaned down to kiss him. She always enjoyed it when Daniel was in a good mood. It always meant very pleasant things for her because he didn't act like he wanted to kill her. Most definitely Daniel was not going to get a good night's sleep; Vala was going to make sure of that. More than likely, their neighbors weren't going to be able to get any sleep either.


End file.
